Long Live the Dream
by GilbertDrone328
Summary: Songfic to Coldplay's "Viva la Vida." The young rulers all have regrets, but none moreso than the one who ends up alone... thoughts of all five, gets Susancentric with more than a dash of SusPian. R&R.
1. Reflection

A/N: This is my second songfic, the first being my Suspian "Bruised" (and yes, that is a shameless plug). I was listening to the song "Viva la Vida" and it was just screaming to me to write something about the Narnian royalty. I don't remember all of the books but I guess this is post _Voyage of the Dawn Treader_, as Ed and Lucy have now "outgrown" Narnia. It's also _Prince Caspian_ movieverse, as there are mentions of Suspian in this chapter(the actual Suspian happens in the next chapter).

Disclaimer: I do not own _The Chronicles of Narnia_ or Coldplay's "Viva la Vida."

_**Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia**_

_I used to rule the world  
Seas would rise when I gave the word_

Edmund Pevensie had yet to accept that he was no longer King Edmund the Just. He had spent more years in Narnia as a benevolent, fair leader than he had in England just living, though the latter was supposedly his home. The young man could not pretend he did not miss his magical world; the people, the Narnians, Trumpkin, Caspian... even if he wasn't as close to them as his siblings were, they were all great friends.

Just like he had been a great leader. He recalled the battle against the Telmarines, especially Aslan commanding the water to rise against the enemies of Narnia. Edmund had always wondered if he and his siblings could become that powerful and majestic, if only they were given the chance to live in Narnia forever.

_  
Now in the morning I sweep alone  
Sweep the streets I used to own_

Not that it mattered anymore; he was done with Narnia. And that hurt more than anything. He now understood(_almost _understood, at least) why Susan was becoming so distant. The loss of something so special hurt so much.

Edmund Pevensie had once been a brilliant ruler surrounded by people who loved him. Now he was relatively alone and common, no matter how royal he still felt. He had long decided to go on with his life, doing whatever he chose, because it did not truly matter; he would never be as happy as he was in Narnia anyway.

_**Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia**_

_I used to roll the dice  
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes_

Peter Pevensie grimaced as he held an ice pack to his face. He had gotten into another fight; some boy had made a comment about Susan, so he hit him. Again and again and again. The boy's friends joined in, but Peter still emerged the least hurt. All that fighting in Narnia had made him strong. He walked through the door, relieved to find his house empty. He could not bear hearing Lucy and Susan lecture him on violence again. When they asked why he did it this time, his reply would be, "The High King, Peter the Magnificent, _will not_ stand for such impropriety."

But he supposed that was the problem. He was not the High King here. Here he was simply that troublesome Pevensie boy, so smart, athletic, and handsome, but inexplicably belligerent. It's not that he enjoyed fistfights anyway; they held none of the mysterious beauty or honor inherent in swordplay. That look in your opponent's face when you both acknowledge the risk of death... that made it thrilling.

_Listen as the crowd would sing:  
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"_

The fighting also reminded him that he was powerful. As much as he hated to admit it, Peter was still bothered by the fact that even if he did return now, he would not be the king. On the off chance time in Narnia was similar to Earth time at this point, Caspian X would rule. Peter eventually decided that he liked and respected the other young man, but it still hurt to know that he was no longer paramount. So Peter Pevensie decided that he would let the memories rest; he conjured them up in his dark times and when he and his youngest two siblings would reminisce, but other than that, he did his best to respectfully move on.

_**Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia**_

_One minute I held the key  
Next the walls were closed on me_

Lucy Pevensie, Queen Lucy the Valiant, the "faithful one," could not breathe. The shock had worn off and realization was setting in; Narnia was now over. She had been terribly sorry for Peter and Susan when they were called too old for the magical land, but having it actually said to herself... The depression was indescribable. No matter what she had faced in England, she had always been able to hold onto the hope that one day, just maybe, she could go back to Narnia.

That hope was gone. The doorway was gone. She was in England forever it seemed.

_And I discovered that my castles stand  
Upon pillars of sand, pillars of sand_

Lucy had always been certain that Narnia would be a permanent part of her life; sometimes she thought that was the one thing she could ever be certain of. Now that was gone. So the Queen decided to live her life as normally as possible, saving her dreams for reliving old visits to a kingdom she could never visit again.

_**Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia**_

_It was the wicked and wild wind  
Blew down the doors to let me in._

Susan Pevensie stumbled into her house at 2:17 am, clearly intoxicated. This was typical behavior for the girl since she had finished school. Then she had had lessons and good, upstanding friends to keep her mind on her studies and off of Narnia and the man she'd left behind.

Her brothers and sister judged her now. She knew it. She was so hurt, but could not bring herself to change back. Instead she continued making new friends, letting them lead her into a superficial world that she honestly despised. But it helped her forget, and she needed to forget.

_Shattered windows and the sound of drums  
People could not believe what I'd become_

But even the Shallow Susan Pevensie could not repress Queen Susan the Gentle. The lady shone through in the kindness shown to all outside of her family, for that was Susan's true nature. But she had to act cold and "grown up" with her siblings; they needed to realize they were only hurting themselves by dreaming of Narnia after the Lion told them they could not return. She knew firsthand; after dreaming of Caspian for heaven only knows how long, she came to her senses. The man was a king, and would marry, have children, and forget that he had ever actually cared for a Queen of Old.

That was the day her heart broke, and that night she went to her first real party. Somewhere between the bar and a dance with a handsome, slightly older man, Susan felt the pain dull. And she decided if this method would work, she would stick to it. Slowly she lost the respect of the only people who should have mattered, but Susan did not care; she couldn't have Caspian, she couldn't have her throne, she couldn't handle the memories, and she _wouldn't_ apologize for being an adult. The others would just have to deal with it.

_**Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia**_

_  
Revolutionaries Wait  
For my head on a silver plate_

King Caspian the Tenth was having a tough time dealing with his new title. As if it were not bad enough that he'd had to fight off assassins _before_ the war, he still faced opposition. Quite frankly, it was tiring. And even those who didn't want him dead still wanted him for something, anything, everything... The last time Narnia was truly secure, there had been _four_ monarchs. He had to do the whole thing alone!

Well, not alone, per se. He _was, _after all, married now, to the daughter of Ramandu, a star. _Married._ The young king shuddered at the thought. He needed a Queen, and his bride was beautiful, yes, but she lacked bright blue eyes, a quick tongue, and unbelievable archery skills. Caspian groaned. He was married for Aslan's sake! Why was he still dreaming of a girl he barely knew?

_Just a puppet on a lonely string  
Oh who would ever want to be king? _

He shook himself. It did not matter that just the thought of Queen Susan the Gentle made him feel more alive than the kiss of a star's daughter. He had responsibilities, and daydreaming about a far away former monarch was not one of them. In a way Caspian X had eagerly anticipated taking the throne since his childhood; but he would give it all just to see them again.

Peter, so arrogant, but so kind! They had had the potential to be the best of friends. The same went for Edmund; the perfect little brother. The boy was mischievous, but fiercely loyal and undeniably wise. Lucy- the King almost laughed at the thought of her. There could not be a little girl as pleasant as her anywhere. And Susan... he'd done enough thinking of Susan. Not that that would stop him from dreaming of her as soon as he drifted off to sleep. One day he would be able to tell his children stories about the Kings and Queens of Old, because one day it would not hurt quite so much to think of them. He smiled grimly in the dim light of his bedchamber. But when would that day come?

_**Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia**_

In two different worlds, five young people contemplated their lives. Four of them resolved to cherish the memories, determined that they could have their dreams back. One, however, doubted. Four went to bed smiling, thinking of the things and people they missed, while One simply smiled at a man she did not know and accepted another drink. Four rested serenely every night, but One still cried herself to sleep, wondering how it all got so bad...

_**OK, so the next chapter covers the events of **_**The Last Battle. **_**The second part also uses the song.  
**_

Please Review!


	2. Redemption

This might read a bit weird- about 2/3 of this part was written as a oneshot with chapter 1, then I decided to split it...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Narnia related or Coldplay's "Viva la Vida."

_**Narnia-Narnia-**_ Several Years Later_**-Narnia-Narnia**_

_Hear Jerusalem bells are ringings  
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing_

Susan Pevensie sat in a cathedral, unable to move. The service had ended three hours prior, but she could not stop thinking of the five Pevensie caskets: her parents, Peter, Edmund, Lucy... all gone.

She choked on a sob. _Why? _She suddenly regretted her selfish behavior of the last few years. Had she remained true to them, to Narnia, to herself, she would have been on the train... she would be with her family. _Why had she listened to her fears? _All she had wanted was to forget the heartache for a while, but she'd forgotten everything, and subsequently _lost_ everything.

In the back of her mind a voice that sounded suspiciously like Peter uttered the most frightening thing she had ever heard: "Susan is no longer a friend of Narnia." She whipped around, only to find that she was still alone. She closed her eyes and sank into further echoes of conversation. She recognized her family, including Eustace, as well as others; and she also noticed that no one defended her when it was said that she was only interested in "nylons, lipstick and invitations" and that she was silly... and oh! It hurt to hear, mostly because they were right. But it was also comforting, because she knew what it all meant; they were in Narnia.

_  
Be my mirror my sword and shield  
My missionaries in a foreign field_

Susan made her decision. She would become her gentle self again, and when her time came, she would make it back to her family. No matter what it took, she would change herself back for the better. The fight would be difficult but it would worth it.

She would have to stop caring so much about herself- that much was obvious. The enormous pain inside of her begged for absolution, but there was no Aslan to grant it. She looked around the church and began to pray for strength. She cried out to God, and to Aslan, because really, they were the same thing to her. So powerful, so benevolent, so forgiving...

_For some reason I can not explain  
I know Saint Peter will call my name  
Never an honest word  
But that was when I ruled the world _

When Susan Pevensie stumbled out of the church, she felt like a new person. No, an old one. She grinned giddily, all the memories of Narnia coming back to her. Why had she repressed this? Susan was sure it was possible to get back to Narnia now, to hear their voices calling her name, to feel their embraces. She could see her family again, she could see the boy that still held her heart, she could be happy for the first time in a long time. Joyful tears streamed down her face, obscuring her vision...

_**Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia**_

She had been stumbling about crying when she ran into the street; that's why she didn't see the car. The poor girl had just lost her family, and now this. Someone made a tasteless joke, saying it was a shame she hadn't kicked the bucket a week earlier so they could have thrown her in the other service, or some such mess. The man was clearly tipsy, but still received disgusted looks from all who heard his comment. He blushed and apologized before making his exit along with his wife, a fierce looking woman who was clearly less than pleased with his conduct.

She was an old friend of sorts, and the only one left close enough to Susan to dictate the tombstone engraving.

_Susan Pevensie_

_1928-1949_

_Devoted Sister, Daughter, Friend_

_A Gentle Queen to us all, she will be missed._

_The woman, a Telmarine queen in another life, smiled softly. She had heard rumors of Queen Susan stealing her nephew's heart from others who passed to this world. In honor of that bond, and perhaps out of guilt for the pain she had helped cause the young man, this was the least she could do. Besides, she had befriended Susan, though the younger woman never realized that her new friend was the widow of King Miraz. The lady mumbled a quick prayer and set off for her home with her intoxicated husband, completely at peace._

_**Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia-Narnia**_

For the first time in a long time, Susan Pevensie felt free. She was back! She inhaled the sweet Narnian air and found herself running through the field she had woken up in. Happy tears once again ran down her face. As she fell to her knees, overcome by sheer joy, she saw a huge form not too far away.

"Aslan!" she exclaimed. "Oh, Aslan, I'm so sorry... I never meant-" the words tumbled out as the young woman threw her arms around the Great Lion.

"Child," Aslan cut in quietly. "I heard your calls. All is forgiven. Welcome home." Sparkling blue eyes stared up at him. He blew on her, and she basked in the warmth. When she opened her eyes, though, she found herself at Cair Paravel.

It had been brilliantly restored. Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and Caspian were lounging about, apparently enjoying a vacation. They had yet to notice her presence, and she took the opportunity to really look at them. Peter's blond hair was neatly combed back underneath his crown; his slightly lined face split in laughter at something Edmund had said. Ed looked much more mature; his hair was longer, and he was even taller than when last she saw him. He was no longer as skinny, and she detected a bit of stubble on his face. Lucy's hair had grown long, and she was a tall, beautiful girl of approximately 18. Susan held back tears as her eyes moved to the man Lucy conversed with; Caspian. He looked exactly the same as he had when last they met. But shouldn't he have died or at least aged considerably? Of course, this _was_ Narnian heaven, so maybe he was just young again?

_For some reason I can not explain  
I know Saint Peter will call my name_

A sob finally broke free as she watched the four. She didn't know if they would forgive her or not, and she could not bring herself to call out to them. Luckily, Peter turned. His laughter abruptly stopped, causing Edmund to turn as well. The two looked as if they had spotted a ghost. Susan laughed shakily, causing Lucy and Caspian to turn as well. All was silent.

Until Peter called her name. "Su! You came to us!" He swept her up in a hug, which a tearful Edmund and a weeping Lucy joined in on. Caspian continued to stare until Susan met his gaze.

Her brothers and sister moved away as dark haired King moved toward her, capturing the lady in a tight embrace. "You are still so beautiful. I... I have missed you," he murmured against her hair.

_  
Never an honest word_

Susan had often been called beautiful by improper young men back in England. Eventually she tired of the word, and treated anyone who used it with the greatest disdain.

How snobbish she had been!

Caspian was so sincere. Did she still deserve him? And wasn't he married? Was this proper behavior for two former flames, even in the afterlife? Instead of asking any of these questions allowed, she simply whispered, "I missed you, too. In fact," she said, pulling away from him, "I've missed you all quite terribly. I think it's time we swapped some stories and it's definitely time that I... I apologize for my behavior. I was dreadful."

"We forgive you, Susan. We've long forgiven you," Lucy replied sweetly.

"You are, after all, our sister. And it wouldn't be Just, Magnificent, or Valiant to forget that," Edmund threw in with a smile. Peter clapped his brother on the back and smiled at his sister.

"Thank you all so much... It was like losing Narnia all over again when I lost you... thank you." Susan dissolved into tears again. Caspian caught her and held her until she was done, and she rewarded him with a radiant smile.

"So who wants to tell me about this place?" She inquired at dinner that night, a quiet affair before the next day's declaration of her return.

"Aslan's Country? It's paradise!" Lucy started eagerly, explaining everything that her sister had missed.

"In this place, are we still... us? Am I still Queen Susan the Gentle?" she asked quietly.

Peter grinned. "You always have been and always will be."

The night continued, culminating in a marriage proposal after Caspian explained that his wife had rejoined her father in the sky, and he'd been waiting for Susan for quite a few centuries to hurry up and join him already. She accepted with a smile. Her life had not felt this perfect since the beginning of the Golden Age of Narnia, millennia ago... She smiled to herself. _But that was when we all but ruled the world. Now... there's just peace._ And she couldn't be happier.

THE END

_**OK, yes, the last bit was a quick bit of fluff. Sorry, had to.**_

_**I personally feel this whole part is a bit funky, but I wanted to write it, so I did. **_

_**Quick explanation: The God-Aslan comment- Aslan is like a Christ figure in the Christian allegorical interpretation of the books, and that's why I had Susan go to a church.**_

_**On the seemingly random appearance of Prunaprismia: When she went back to our world, I figure she could have been put in a time that would have made her closer to Susan's age, hence they met at a party and became friends.**_

_**Also, I purposely decided to eschew dialogue until the reunion, just in case anyone was wondering.**_

Please review! This is only my second, so I still don't quite have the hang of songfics- any advice(as long as it's polite) would be appreciated!


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